It’s Bloom Day again, that once a month miracle hosted by Carol of May Dreams Gardens. I don’t have much to show, but signs that some things are gearing up for spring are there. Some of the garden remains green like Rosa ‘Cl. Old Blush’ above. Except during the harshest winters, it stays green until January. Then, we get a cold snap like the one last week, and its leaves also turn a soft brown.
Brown is everywhere I look, but I turn my head and ignore it, instead focusing on what’s indoors. I have a few blooming Hippeastrum, bulbs formerly known as amaryllis. A little name swap-a-roo not unline the artist formerly known as Prince, who became the woman/man symbol for awhile and when it didn’t suit him, became Prince again. It’s all so confusing. No matter what they’re called, the Hippeastrum put on quite the show this season. I’m still waiting on ‘Ambiance’ to bloom, and it will in a few days, but here’s ‘Dancing Queen’ mislabled as Elvas.
The Christmas cacti have come and gone, but the African violets keep repeating their bloom and rest cycle. I love these little non-violets. They are inexpensive, and if you remember not to water them too often and keep water off their hairy leaves, they do well. You don’t even need to feed them very often.
At 55F, today is a lot nicer than last week. I’m itching to plant some seeds or prune the roses, but it’s not yet time. I must wait. In the meantime, I’ll dream through catalogs and await the seed packets which are like small presents in the mail. Oh, and as long as the mail stays within the mailbox, Tap is sure not to destroy and eat it.
So far, Tap 4, Packages 0. We’re in the process of building a box for the mail carriers in which to place the packages. Hopefully, he won’t chew through the wood.
Happy Bloom Day everyone. I hope your skies are blue, and if you have snow, the sun is shining upon it.
Your ‘Dancing Queen’ Hippy is a beauty, Dee. My mother called them Hippeastrums in Australia when I was growing up, so I suppose I can adjust. But I wonder why the ‘powers that be’ feel the need to mess with plant names so often. Nothing better to do? Amaryllis is a much prettier name!
I love your cloche and the African Violet looks lovely in it. They’re such a bright spot of color in the winter.
No shortage of daily adventures with Tap around I see 🙂 Sweet photo of the pooches.
Ooh, cloche envy. How awful that your January catalogue dreams become Tap’s lunch! Good luck with the new mailbox.
Oh, honey, love the photo of your watering can. I somehow have started collecting them. And your violets, aren’t they cheery. How cool, the dome.
xxxooo
Amaryllis are wonderful whether they bloom true to name or not. Such wonderful colors in bells in the dead of winter!
Your garden helpers are like my Sandy Paws. She can did a hole a foot deep in a few seconds, if we could only direct all that energy to positive outcomes.
Happy Bloom Day.
Do you plant them outside in the ground like Helen does at Gardening With Confidence?
Dancing Queen is a beauty, Dee, and do my eyes deceive me or is your dome African Violet potted in Flow Blue?
Hopefully your seed orders survive Tap’s enthusiasm. I’ve been limping along for a decade with a plain-red handmedown amaryllis–which is perfectly nice when it blooms–but yours is a really spectacular version. Wow!
Your Amaryllis is pretty – mine aren’t being cooperative this year. But I did have several Christmas cacti bloom for me. Love the cloche – and the African Violet is so precious in it. With faces like that, I’m sure it’s hard to fuss at your dogs – they’re adorable. Happy GBBD.
I love your cloche! And that amaryllis (I haven’t learned to spell the h word yet) and have two of my own that are just sending up shoots. Is my house too cold? These things have been so slow to start.
55 sounds downright balmy compared to what we have been having. It got into the upper 40’s yesterday and I spent nearly the whole day outside, most of it in my neglected garden. Happy bloom day to you!
Beautiful (ex)Amaryllis. You’re right, renaming of plants is just like the Prince situation. 🙂 Very confusing, and nobody can say the name.
I wondered whether Oklahoma might be a bit ahead of central Pennsylvania growing-season-wise. Seems that you are, but not by much. Great to see your dogs; enjoy their shenanigans. My 5 yr old chocolate lab has lymphoma and almost certainly won’t make it to spring.
Oh, I’m so sorry about your lab. The are some of the finest dogs once they get past the puppy stage. Thank you so much for stopping by too.
I love the ‘amaryllis’ and the african violets look so sweet. Mine all went to the great compost pile in the sky but maybe I should try again…
The Tapster appears to be eagerly awaiting your next delivery, while Prancer bemoans the younger generation’s lack of discipline. We’re one Bloom Day closer to spring!
Hi Dee! I have that same cloche (w/ base). I didn’t think about putting an African Violet in it. Thanks for the idea!
I hate to tell you, but your amaryllis isn’t ‘Elvas’. I bought it for the first time this year and mine isn’t either. If you check photos of ‘Elvas’ at Dave’s Garden and elsewhere, you’ll see what I mean. I think we both got ‘Dancing Queen’, but it’s beautiful, too! I really wanted ‘Elvas’, not the one I got, because I already have ‘Dancing Queen’, but now I’ve got two of them!
Thanks for the tip Kylee.
No blooms outside with deep snow cover, and none inside either, but I really enjoyed seeing your contribution to GBBD. Beautiful designer amaryllis.
Dear Dee, We’ve been thrilled with 46F and 55F sounds positively balmy. Brown is the dominant color in our landscape~Even the evergreens cannot make up for a lack of snow cover… Love ‘Elvas” what a beauty in orange…gail
That amaryllis (think I’m gonna have to stick with that name – I’ll never remember the other!) sure looks nice. Love the color.
Dear Dee, Congratulations on being named one of Horticulture’s Best Garden Blogs! The magazine and your blog are among my favorites. Love your cloche. Mmm … wonder if I could use a glass cake cover as a cloche? P x
Happy Bloom Day to you too, Dee. I am waiting for my amaryllis to bloom, too, and it is also ‘Ambiance’. Stay warm, and keep reading those seed catalogs. Spring will be here soon!
That amaryllis is a beauty, and your violets just remind me that I need to try them again. They are such wonderful indoor plants and they truly brighten up a winter day.
55 degrees! oh my – your cloche is so sweet, and the amaryllis beauteous!
That hepsprej;s’gja’ , um Hippyeaster…Oh darn, that amaryllis is beautiful. I just love african violets too. Neither do I have. Your doggies look so happy to see you. I used to have a chocolate lab. I still miss him. I had him for 15 years. When I see one of those big square brown heads I just want to hug em. Happy GBBD.
I had a dog that used to attack the post. We even put a wire cage over the letter box but she still went mad. She did calm down eventually as she got older but we had a few scared postmen and newspaper delivery boys for a while!!
I love your little cloche – might get one for my house really makes the African Violet a feature
I love your “amaryllis.” That’s such a pretty form.
Yes, I’m ready for spring too! I’m such a wimp when it comes to this cold weather – not a big fan… Your bell jar is such a pretty touch. Happy bloom day to you!
Your violets look happy, but so do the pups. Looks like they both sport big smiles. I am a little jealous of 55 degrees. We have warmed up to 27 as of right now.